Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-07
MICROSCOPICAL WONDERS.
Some of the Objects to be Viewed
Through an Instrument.
Suppose we look at a fly's tongue

"Suppose We look at a fly's tongue"
GAIL right" said l, "fiies have been
investigating me for a long time, and
nothing would give me more pleasure
than to see a fy's tongue transfixed
and to investigat it calmly under mi
croscOpe."
Accordingly, Mr.. Hopkins placed
the subject in position, and, turning
the table, l brought my eye to bear on
the object. The fly's tongue IL GER
tainly a complicated piece of mechan-
ism. No description would do it JUS
tice; it must be seen to be appreci-
ated. The next subject was a section
of horsefy, showing the complete
kit of tools with which he pursues his
investigations into the flesh of horses.
There was fine saw with teeth plain
ly visible, piercer for irritating the
wound which caused the blood to flow,
and all arranged for use. Then we
looked at the sawily, which frequents
rose and gooseberry bushes and saws
places in the twigs and deposits its
eggs. The stinging apparatus of the
ordinary honey-bee next claimed
our attention. Having had some ex-
perience with bees business depart
ment, l congratulated myself that the
mystery of its operation was about to
be unveiled. The sight confirmed me
in my purpose previously formed of
giving beehives wide berth in the
future. A bees stinger looks formid-
able under the microscope. Teeth
project from the side OF it like
swordfish, and attached to it is the
poison bag which contains the article
which when inserted into mans
hand by an enterprising bee, makes
him wish that he had never been
born.
"You will see," said Mr.. Hopkins,
"that by increasing the power of the
microscope the formation of parts of
the various objects examined is clear
ly shown, and the more closely they
are examined the more complete they
appear. There are no botched jobs in
nature"
"Do your investigations" l asked,
"lead to the conclusion that all these
complete and beautiful things were
evolved from an incomplete germ ?''
Mr.. Hopkins replied very emphat-
cally, "No, sir; they do not. l take
no stock in the modern conclusion on
that point"
The hornet was next investigated.
1t has been said that he differs from
the flea in this respect, that when you
put your finger on him you know he
is there. Much as we dislike to meet
the hornet and be interviewed by him,
especially when seated on the grass
eating loaf cake at picnic, he appears
remarkably well under microscope.
Mr.. Hopkins called my attention to
this interesting fact: On the edge of
the hornets wings are a series of
hooks, which at certain times are used
to hook the wings together, but no
one has yet succeeded in hooking or
unlocking the wings of the captured
insect. The hooks are plainly seen
through the instrument. A bees foot
and fringed paddle of the water
beetle closed our investigations among
the insect tribe. A section OF the leaf
of the deutia plant was next shown.
1t was covered with little stars per-
fectly formed. These stars are COM
posed of slick, and if the leaf is burned
the stars are not consumed. Diatoms
are a subject for special study. They
are vegetable plants comprising innu-
merable varieties, which can only be
seen and classified by the aid of the
microscope. Diatoms have been seen
upon which 125, 1000 transverse lines
have been shown by the aid OF the
most powerful microscope. Polarized
light is another department of micro
scopical study. The polarizer is at
tached to the microscope, and by its
means the most beautiful forms and
colors are seen. There are an infinite
number of available subjects in this
realm. Chemical crystals, mineral
sections, nickel prisms and objects
from vegetable life all show a vast va
riety of colors and forms.-I Brooklyn
Citizen.